STF

Lounge (side sim)

Posted March 16, 2023, 2:08 a.m. by Lieutenant Commander Thomas McGregor (COS) (Brandon Irvine)

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Vanessa Slade (CNS) in Lounge (side sim)

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Vanessa Slade (CNS) in Lounge (side sim)

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Thomas McGregor (COS) in Lounge (side sim)
Posted by… suppressed (11) by the Post Ghost! 👻
He was not, to be clear, moping.

He could understand how a casual observer might draw that conclusion, given how he was posed: head propped in his non-dominant (left) hand, dominant hand loosely gripping a half-full tumbler of (synthehol) whiskey, idly rocking it so that the liquid would slowly swill around, forlorn appearance featuring an apparent vacant stare at nothing in particular, and the occasional dramatic exhalation. The look was exacerbated by the fact that he was alone at his table.

But those who only gave him a singular glance would miss one important detail about the scene: the table was the one with the best vantage point of the entire lounge. It was the furthest from the door, up against one of the viewports, but on an elevated platform that gives him an improved view over the lower tables.

He was observing, not moping. And no busybody counselor (or amateur therapist) could tell him otherwise.

COS

Vanessa walked into the lounge and gave the room a quick survey before mumbling something under her breath. Walking to the bar Vanessa could not hide the limp in her left leg. Medical technology was next to magic but that did not every ache or pain was eliminated entirely. Tapping the bar she exchanged a few words with Tony jabbing at the tables behind her. From her body language, it would be clear she was not thrilled but her expression held the exact opposite with a half smirk on her face.

Turning away from the bar she half walked, half hobbled like she was three times her age and a geriatric patient. Vanessa made her way toward the back of the room but did not stop at the open table but took a few more steps stopping at Commander McGregor’s table. “Commander McGregor,” she extended a greeting.

“Counselor,” Thomas replied with a small nod of acknowledgment.

Shifting her weight so it was all on the right leg, Vanessa let out a deep sigh along with a chuckle. “NE Ensign Paulings is now cleared for duty,” she reported on McGregor’s newly minted security officer from the academy. “He just needed a pep talk and some confidence boosting to get him up and back on his feet. No matter how many training drills one goes through it never prepares you for the real thing. I sent the paperwork to your file and notified the XO that Paulings can go back on the roster.”

“Hm,” Thomas made an affirmative noise. That was good news, really, even if he didn’t quite understand the younger man’s malfunction.

Taking a closer look at McGregor’s expression she added, “tough day or lost in thought?”

Vanessa Slade CNS

“Neither,” Thomas replied, allowing a hint of a smirk to ghost over his face. “Training.”

COS

“For a pub crawl or simulation someone is too drunk and becomes disruptive because I got a group of chicks coming and we plan to get drunk and possibility disorderly but the latter is based on the former,” Vanessa let out a half laugh.

Thomas raised an eyebrow. “While that’s good to know, I’m actually training my people-reading skills,” he explained. “A lot of ‘drunk and disorderly’ incidents can be prevented if you know what to look for, so you can nip it in the bud, so to speak.”

He gestured towards an NE in Ops yellow at the bar who was slightly wobbly on his barstool.

“Like that one, for instance. He’s definitely already inebriated, as you can see by his loss of equilibrium. The question now is what kind of drunk is he?”

Vanessa Slade CNS

COS

“Life has a way of proving people wrong but I would say he is just a fella that had a wee bit too much. He is drunk at the bar on the starship. The old man is a good guy but don’t mistake good guy for being a good friend. Anyone that would get so drunk they would need to be brigged on the ship probably isn’t going to be a part of the crew for long. Drinking at the lounge is to blow off steam. Drinking on shore leave is when you visit the local hooskal. My guess is he is going to face-plant the bar.” Vanessa had no idea if she was right or wrong but she was right about the outcome if the old yellow shirt decided to start taking swings at people.

“What do you think is going to happen?”

Vanessa Slade CNS

“NLt. Kelvin Redmond has been in the fleet for 20 years and has averaged one write-up for inebriation per year,” Thomas recited, having obviously memorized the man’s record. “For every official write-up, there are four or five unofficial recommendations he see his ship’s counselor for treatment of his alcoholism. The Genesis is his seventeenth ship, and fifth in the last four years.”

Redmond began to totter even more on his barstool, as the barkeep gave the signal that he was being cutoff.

“That said, he’s going to stand up in an attempt to yell at the barback, and pass out from the blood rush,” Thomas concluded.

Seconds later, exactly that happened. Thomas set his own drink down on the table and stood to attend the scene, as none of Redmond’s fellow drinkers so much as looked twice in his direction.

COS

“So why isn’t there a medical order for Redmond to just be served Synthohol in public spaces? Sure it is not going to stop drinking in his quarters. People are going to always find what they need even if it is not in their best interest. Was he in the War with Marius?” The age of the man fit with having been in the Dominion war and while Calvin Marius could have a hard candy coating once you got below the surface he could be positively soft and squishy. Vanessa kept that bit to herself. The crew needed to see the Captian in a specific light. That didn’t mean Calvin didn’t have a caring and compassionate side. The was hard on many and it only stood to reason Calvin would understand and feel the need to take care of those that might have unseen wounds still festering. It would also explain why Marius had a practicing alcoholic on his crew where lives depended on everyone doing their job and a man that could not always trusted to be sober.

Vanessa Slade CNS

“I don’t think he’s old enough to have been in the War,” Thomas said. “But if he’s part of a large enough crew, he can be anonymous enough that a lounge worker isn’t going to ask his name and check the restricted list every night.

There is a restricted list, Vanessa thought to herself. Musing the complications over in her mind, she once again wondered why she ever volunteered to join a shape ship instead of a dirt side placement. Pushing the thoughts from her mind she continued to listen to the COS talk.

“Especially if he doesn’t come in but once a week or so. If he’s clever enough, he only runs into the same server once a month, which is plenty of time for them to forget him getting plastered and making an arse of himself.”

Reaching the Lieutenant’s side, Thomas quickly checked to make sure he had simply passed out, not hit his head or anything, and hefted him up to his feet, putting one limp arm around his shoulder.

“Counselor, would you like to help me get him out of here?” he asked.

COS

“Sure, where are we talking him,” she put the man’s other arm around her neck but the height difference was going to make walking more like a three-legged race instead of a simple stroll. MacGregor was going to have to half-hold him up and Vanessa just balance him.

Vanessa Slade CNS

“As luck would have it, his quarters are on this same deck,” Thomas said, leading the group towards the door. “Easier to drop him there and let him sleep it off than haul him up to Deck 5 and my brig for the same purpose. I’ll still be writing him up, and it’ll go on his file, but I’d rather not have to haul 100 kilos of mostly-deadweight any further than I absolutely have to.”

COS

“Why because he fell off a bar stool,” she let out a small chuckle almost dropping her half of the passed-out man they were transporting to his quarters. “People drink for all sorts of reasons. For fun, to blow off steam, to hide the fact you have told your parents your current posting is on Vulcan and not the Genesis and they keep trying to find a time that is convenient to visit,” Vanessa’s last reason was oddly specific but she continued talking.

“Besides if you write a report it will end up on my desk and then I will have to schedule a meeting and then file a report to go with your report. Can’t we just go with a stern warning and not generate a report?” Vanessa said it in a humorous tone but with a hint of seriousness.

Vanessa Slade CNS

“Gee, I thought you wanted him to get help for his drinking problem,” Thomas replied. “Unless you plan to unofficially drop in on him in the morning?”

COS


Posts on USS Genesis

In topic

Posted since


© 1991-2024 STF. Terms of Service

Version 1.15.9